Apparatus for cataloguing photographs and negatives

Abstract

An apparatus for cataloguing and storing photographic prints and negatives in the same aesthetically designed case. In one embodiment, a negative album is placed in one compartment of the case, and a second compartment of the case retains a plurality of separately bound and identifiable photograph albums. The negative albums holds a plurality of conventional paper negative/print wallets, labelled to correspond to respective photograph albums stored in the apparatus. Each individual photograph album is designed for facile addition, removal, substitution and viewing of individual photographs; and is attached to a hand-grippable hanger element to permit both removal of albums from the case as well as their return to the case. The apparatus performs the same function whether vertically or horizontally disposed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for cataloguing and retrieving photographs and negatives comprising: a rigid housing having first and second compartments, said first compartment formed to receive a correspondingly shaped negative album and said second compartment having a pair of parallel, horizontally spaced support members adapted to receive the ends of a hanger member;   a negative album removably positioned in said first compartment;   at least one photograph album removably positioned in between said pair of parallel, horizontally spaced support members; and   a hanger member connected to such photograph album, with the ends of said hanger member engaging said pair of parallel, horizontally spaced support members, whereby said photograph album can be suspended in said second compartment.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said negative album comprises a notebook having a plurality of leaves formed of plastic material with pockets therein, respectively, for receiving conventional paper negative/print wallets. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said photograph album comprises: a first cover leaf having a generally rectangular tab portion at its uppermost transverse edge extending generally the full length thereof, a generally rectangular binding portion foldably connected to and generally coextensive with the lower transverse edge of said tab portion and a generally rectangular photograph covering portion coextensive with and hingedly connected to the lower transverse edge of said binding portion, said binding portion having first and second indentations at the opposite free ends thereof;   a cataloguing means comprising, in combination, said tab portion of said first cover leaf and an index member, said index member causing said first cover leaf tab portion to fold at a generally right angle with respect to said first cover leaf binding portion, whereby an index label is provided along the bound edge of said photograph album;   a stack of generally rectangular photograph mounting tongues, each mounting tongue having first and second indentations at the opposite free ends thereof, said indentations being in substantial registration with the indentations in respectively contiguous mounting tongues in the stack and with the indentations in said binding portion of said first cover leaf;   a second cover leaf having a generally rectangular binding portion at its uppermost transverse edge extending generally the full length thereof and a generally rectangular photograph covering portion coextensive with and hingedly connected to the lower transverse edge of said binding portion, said binding portion having first and second indentations at the opposite free ends thereof and in substantial registration with the indentations in said stack of mounting tongues and said first cover leaf binding portion; and   a flexible binding member fitting into said indentations and around said first cover leaf, index member, stack of mounting tongues and second cover leaf for binding said mounting tongues so as to form said photograph album.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said index member is transparent, thereby forming a protective covering through which identifying material written on said first cover leaf tab portion can be seen. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said index member comprises a rigid plastic piece of substantially L-shaped cross-section extending generally the length of said first cover leaf uppermost edge and having a vertical leg correspondingly shaped to said first cover leaf binding portion and a horizontal channel-shaped leg adapted to be slidably superposed over said first cover leaf tab portion, said vertical leg having first and second indentations at the opposite ends thereof and in registration with said first and second indentations, respectively, of said first cover leaf binding portion. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of photographic prints respectively connected with said photograph mounting tongues. 
     
     
       7. A photograph album comprising: a first cover leaf having a generally rectangular tab portion at its uppermost transverse edge extending generally the full length thereof, a generally rectangular binding portion foldably connected to and generally coextensive with the lower transverse edge of said tab portion and a generally rectangular photograph covering portion coextensive with and hingedly connected to the lower transverse edge of said binding portion, said binding portion having first and second indentations at the opposite free ends thereof;   a cataloguing means comprising, in combination, said tab portion of said first cover leaf and an index member, said index member causing said first cover leaf tab portion to fold at a generally right angle with respect to said first cover leaf binding portion, whereby an index label is provided along the bound edge of said photograph album;   a stack of generally rectangular photograph mounting tongues, each mounting tongue having first and second indentations at the opposite free ends thereof, said indentations being in substantial registration with the indentations in respectively contiguous mounting tongues in the stack and with the indentations in said binding portion of said first cover leaf;   a second cover leaf having a generally rectangular binding portion at its uppermost transverse edge extending generally the full length thereof and a generally rectangular photograph covering portion coextensive with and hingedly connected to the lower transverse edge of said binding portion, said binding portion having first and second indentations at the opposite free ends thereof and in substantial registration with the indentations in said stack of mounting tongues and said first cover leaf binding portion; and   a flexible binding member fitting into said indentations and around said first cover leaf, index member, stack of mounting tongues and second cover leaf for binding said mounting tongues so as to form said photograph album.   
     
     
       8. The photograph album of claim 7 wherein said index member is transparent, thereby forming a protective covering through which identifying material written on said first cover leaf tab portion can be seen. 
     
     
       9. The photograph album of claim 7 wherein said index member comprises a rigid plastic piece of substantially L-shaped cross-section extending generally the length of said first cover leaf uppermost edge and having a vertical leg correspondingly shaped to said first cover leaf binding portion and a horizontal channel-shaped leg adapted to be slidably superposed over said first cover leaf tab portion, said vertical leg having first and second indentations at the opposite ends thereof and in registration with said first and second indentations, respectively, of said first cover leaf binding portion. 
     
     
       10. The photograph album of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of photographic prints respectively connected with said photograph mounting tongues. 
     
     
       11. The photograph album of claim 7 further comprising a hanger member, also secured by said flexible binding member, for suspending said photograph album from hanger member support elements. 
     
     
       12. The photograph album of claim 11 wherein said hanger member comprises a plastic strip coplanar and contiguous with the back face of said second cover leaf binding portion, said plastic strip having first and second indentations, at the opposite ends thereof and in substantial registration with the indentations in said cover leaf binding portion, and hanging elements extending from each end of said plastic strip to engage photograph album support elements. 
     
     
       13. The photograph album of claims 11 or 12 wherein said hanger member includes a raised gripping portion to facilitate carrying of said photograph album and its removal from or insertion into a storage case. 
     
     
       14. The photograph album of claim 11 wherein said hanger member comprises: a substantially flat strip of rigid material which is coplanar and contiguous with the back face of said second cover leaf binding portion;   first and second hanging ears extending, respectively, from the first and second ends of said hanger member and formed to define downwardly disposed inner walls for engaging the correspondingly-shaped upper ends of support members;   first and second identations at the opposite ends of said flat strip and in substantial registration with the indentations in said cover leaf binding portion; and   a gripping portion connected to the upper edge of said flat strip to facilitate carrying of said photograph album and its removal from or insertion into a storage case.   
     
     
       15. An apparatus for cataloguing and retrieving photographs and negatives according to claim 1 and comprising a rigid housing having first and second compartments, said first compartment formed to receive correspondingly shaped negative album and said second compartment formed to receive at least one photograph album and further comprising means to enclose said second compartment.